Crafting Perfect Work Anniversary Messages: 30 Examples

Hey, office hero! Yes, you – the one who actually remembers work anniversaries while everyone else just turns up for the cupcakes. Work anniversaries can and should be a big deal. And giving a gift card can be the perfect way to celebrate. But writing an anniversary message that’s unique and not another “wow, congrats!” can be tricky. We’ve crafted new and improved examples to help you deliver a punchy message your colleagues will remember. 

Why work anniversary messages matter

Okay, so Jennifer from accounts made it through her first year. Meh, big deal. Ammiright? 

Wrong! Whether it’s just one year or twenty years of dedication, sticking at any job can be hard work. Work is the place we spend most of our waking hours – and it’s not always easy to stay loyal. Let’s be honest, most of us would rather be sleeping in and bingeing Netflix than heading to the office (even if that office is our lounge room). 

Not just that, work can require some pretty intense dedication, focus, collaboration (i.e. working with your particularly demanding boss) and creativity. No wonder we’re so tired all the time! 

When you’re giving so much of yourself to an organisation year after year, a little ‘thank you, you rock!’ can go a long way. 

The psychology of appreciation

Being appreciated isn’t just feel-good, woo-woo, nice-to-have kinda stuff. Appreciation genuinely impacts the brain – releasing our happy hormones, dopamine and serotonin. And who doesn't love a little dopamine boost?

When your team members are appreciated, they’ll feel more motivated, engaged and collaborative too. They’re also more likely to feel as though there’s meaning in the work they do. 

The 2024 State of Recognition Report (SOR) shows that 90% of employees are more likely to put in extra effort when their work is noticed, for example. 

Being appreciated also has a big impact on turnover. Gallup research shows that employees who don’t feel enough recognition are more likely to say they’ll quit within the next year. Yikes! 

So, making sure your team feels as though they’re recognised, appreciated and valued is uber important for you and for them. 

Crafting work anniversary messages that don’t suck 

Appreciation is the gold standard. And work anniversaries – workiversaries if you will – should be celebrated. 

But… let’s make them better. 

It’s time to say goodbye to the generic “thank you for your contribution to our team” notes. Yawn! Instead, build in some authentic personalisation to make those messages have an impact. 

According to Gallup research, recognition needs to feel authentic to count. Employees who strongly agree that the recognition they receive is authentic are seven times (yes, seven!) more likely to report that they’re treated with respect at work. 

So, it’s not just the appreciation that matters, but how you show appreciation.

Get personal 

To have a genuine impact, you’ve got to make it personal. Vague mentions of work well done will feel like a copy-and-paste job. And let’s be real: they probably are. 

Instead, boost that authenticity and get specific. Craft employee appreciation messages that show you care and genuinely notice the work your colleague puts in. Do they always arrive at work with a smile? Help others? Organise all the social activities? Make sure you mention those specific details.   

Include achievements

While we’re getting personal, make sure you include some achievements too! 

What did your colleague achieve this year? Did they level up? Get a new certification? Ace a client pitch? 

Whatever it was, this is your chance to shout it out. 

Consider length 

When it comes to length, brief is good – no one wants to read an essay (even if it is about how great they are!). 

Make sure it’s not a one sentence note either. You’ve got to leave room for those specifics like that project win, or consistently friendly attitude. 

Add team notes  

Make your message even more personalised and meaningful by getting your team to contribute too. Asking your crew to sign a card, or chip in for a gift makes the work anniversary feel more genuine and thoughtful – knowing the whole team was thinking of them. 

Gathering messages for a colleague's work anniversary doesn't have to be a chore. A Group Card makes it simple to create a thoughtful and authentic card. You can even print the finished card as a beautiful keepsake. It's the perfect way to make meaningful moments without the hassle. See how GroupTogether works.

Formal or fun? Key types of employee appreciation messages

When considering tone, make it relevant to the environment. If you’re in a creative team like an ad agency or social media firm, there’s likely room for sass and fun. In corporate, keep it more profesh. 

Formal messages 

While it’d be nice to make every work anniversary message relaxed and fun, it’s not going to be the right fit for every industry. 

If your team are government officials, lawyers, or corporate staff, then it’s likely best to keep things polished and professional. 

That doesn’t mean it needs to be boring or leave out personalisation. It just means keeping things in line with typical comms. 

Fun & sassy messages 

In a more creative or relaxed workplace? Why not dial up the fun and keep your work anniversary messages memorable?  

Just remember, not everyone has the same sense of humour and it’s still a workplace – so there can’t be anything NSFW. Hot tip: if you’re unsure, leave it out. 

Industry-specific 

Leaning into your industry can be another way to bring in some joy while making messages feel more specific. 

Say you work for a cheese company. Think less, “We appreciate your efforts,” and more “You’re an unbrie-lievable talent,” or “We appreciate you not melting under the pressure". 

How to send work anniversary quotes with impact 

Have a distributed team? No stress. There are plenty of ways to deliver a message with impact. 

Think digital 

With teams often working across the country – or globe – these days, going digital can be smart and simple. With digital ecards, it’s simple to get everyone to sign, contribute and even chip in for gifts without having to worry about postage and printing dramas. 

Go physical 

Physical cards are a meaningful way to share appreciation in person. These days, you can even get a digital card signed by the team, then print it off before handing it to your colleague. 

Email 

If you’d like to keep things simple. A quick message via email or your collaboration app like Slack – while less impactful – can be a great way to show your colleagues you care with minimal effort on your part. 

Give your crew a boost. 30 examples of happy work anniversary messages

Say goodbye to boring. Get fun, sassy, specific and memorable with these work anniversary message examples. 

Use these starters to kick off your note. Then add some personalisation to make your messages meaningful and memorable. 

One-year work anniversary messages 

Help your newest employees feel appreciated and more likely to commit to you in the long term. 

• “You made it the whole year! We love having you as part of the team.”
• “Congrats on your one-year work anniversary! It’s been a joy to watch you hit so many goals in your first year.”
• “Happy one-year anniversary! You’re crushing it. Working with you on [project name] has been a blast and we can’t wait to keep kicking goals with you on our team.”
• “Woohoo! Happy Workiversary. You’ve been here for one year. We’re so pleased to have you on the team.”
• “Happy one-year anniversary! We enjoyed collaborating with you on [project name] and can’t wait to keep making magic with you.”

Sassy & fun happy work anniversary messages 

If you work in a relaxed environment, keep the good times rolling and bring some of that sassy energy into your messages. 

• “Yasss Queen! You’re killing it (as per)! It’s your work anniversary – time to pop open the Moet! Let’s celebrate together in style.”
• “Happy work anniversary, girl! You’re here hitting goals and we love you for it! This workplace wouldn’t be the same without you.”
• “Pop the champers! You’ve been with us for another year and it wouldn't be the same without your cheeky smile, sense of humour, oh… and your fine work too!”
• “OMG! Another year on team [name]. You’ve been kicking goals, making strides and killing it as per usual. We love having you as part of the crew.”
• “Who gave you permission?! You’ve been here [number] years and we couldn’t be happier to have you on the team. Can you stay forever? Please. And thank you xx.” 

Leadership work anniversary messages 

If there’s a leader who’s been winning for your teams, make sure they feel appreciated with a leader-specific note. 

• “Congrats! It’s your work anniversary. You’ve been with us for [insert number] years and we couldn’t be happier to have you on the team. No one does leadership like you.”
• “Celebrating [insert number] years of excellence. You’re a big reason why we’re succeeding. Thank you for leading our team.” 
• “Happy work anniversary! Thank you for leading our team to greatness all these years. We couldn’t do it without you.”
• “Congratulations! You’ve been offering us stellar leadership for [number] years and we can’t thank you enough.”
• “Huge congrats on [number] years with us! You’re the leader every team deserves.” 

Formal work anniversary messages 

If your workplace is more corporate, use these as inspiration for your next work anniversary message. 

• “Wishing you a happy work anniversary. Your dedication and hard work play an important role in the success of our organisation.”
• “Our sincere congratulations on your [number] work anniversary. Your work is truly appreciated by everyone at [organisation name].”
• “Congratulations on your work anniversary. Your contributions, professionalism and dedication all make a meaningful impact.”
• “We’re celebrating your [number] work anniversary. The work you do contributes to the success of the organisation. We thank you for your dedication.”
• Congratulations on your [number] work anniversary. Your support, dedication and hard work are helping us succeed. We can’t thank you enough.” 

Milestone work anniversary messages 

If your colleague has reached a milestone – say, ten years with the company – make sure to call it out! 

• “Woohoo! Ten years with team [name]. We can’t thank you enough for your dedication over the years.” 
• “Congratulations on being with us for 10 years. Time flies when you’re having fun!” 
• “Let’s pop the champagne! Happy work anniversary. You joined us 10 years ago and we’ve been kicking goals ever since!”
• “Ten years! Huge congratulations. Thanks for putting up with us ;). We couldn’t be happier to have you on the team.” 
• “You’ve been here for how long!? Huge congratulations on your 10th work anniversary!” 

Industry-specific and fun 

Want to deliver a pun-believable message? Make it specific to your industry and dial in the fun. Use these examples for inspo. 

• Creative agency: “Happy workiversary to our MVP! You’ve survived another year of “just another tweak” and helped lead us to creative gold.”
• Bakery: “Congrats! Another year of mixing up magic. You’ve really been proving yourself. Honestly, we’d crumble without you.” 
• Tech: “Happy workiversary. You’ve helped us reboot the team and hardwire excellence. Everything is streamlined to UX excellence with you here.” 
• Construction: “Congrats on another year on the team! Still nailing it, laying in Dad jokes and being the concrete support we all need.” 
• Medical: “Happy work anniversary! Congrats on another year of scrubbing up, injecting humour and surviving Dr. Google.” 

Get sassy, fun and memorable 

Why let a workiversary pass by without calling it out? Work anniversaries are the perfect chance to show colleagues you care, boost morale and build stronger work connections. 

Give your colleagues a dopamine hit with fun messages they’ll actually remember. And boost the chances of them sticking around for the long term while you’re at it. 

Now you know how to make those happy work anniversary messages count. It’s time to get sending! 

Ready to make someone feel valued? A Group Card lets everyone add their message for a colleague’s work anniversary, so you can organise a heartfelt celebration in minutes. No budget, no stress – just a feel-good way to bring people together. Get started with GroupTogether.

Meet the experts

Ali + Julie

Co-Founders, GroupTogether.

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